INSIDE: Racy photos emerge of sheriff in heated campaign.
On the heels of the revelation that he killed a man in self defense when he was a teenager, Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony was dealing with a new disclosure Monday: photos of him at two events organized by a promoter for “erotic theme events, pool parties, strip and swing club invasions and group vacations.”
Tony, who was not in office when the pictures were taken, is in a heated highprofile race for sheriff, seeking election for the first time this August. His supporters say he has become the target of people playing dirty politics, with more details about him becoming public in recent days.
The photos, obtained by the South Florida Sun Sentinel, show Tony wearing tight-fitting swim shorts, sunglasses and a bright smile at events. A website with photos of the gatherings say the events took place in August 2015 and April 2016. Photo galleries show a party-like setting with people in bathing suits, including some women who wore either topless or wore pasties instead of bathing suit tops.
Tony couldn’t be reached for comment, but his campaign issued a statement late Monday, accusing former Broward Sheriff Scott Israel of being behind the disclosure of the photos.
“This is another attempt by Scott Israel to smear Sheriff Tony’s name and reputation,” the statement read. “He tried to depict Sheriff Tony as nothing more than a black kid with a gun, but it backfired because most people see his struggles growing up among violence as an inspirational story of what you can accomplish with hard work and determination no matter where you start.
“Now, Israel is stooping even lower by releasing pictures that instead of just attacking the sheriff, include his wife in an attempt to embarrass and slander her. Broward County voters will see past these disgraceful political tactics.”
Israel denied having anything to do with the release of the photos. “The first time I even heard of these photos was when someone sent me a link to them posted on” a political blog, he said. “I know nothing about their origin.”
An attorney for Tony’s campaign characterized the pictures as private, showing people who are not public figures. “The depictions in these photos are of legal activities and are not of public concern,” said the attorney, Natalie Kato.
The parties were organized by a group called “VIPBliss,” which bills itself as an exclusive private party promoter for the young, fit and attractive. Its Facebook page says it has been organizing these events since 2003. Membership in Bliss is free but participants are screened by photos. The group “bases membership acceptance on physical attractiveness.”
Efforts to contact the site’s managers through its website and social media pages were unsuccessful Monday.
Andrew Pollack, an early supporter who suggested Tony to Gov. DeSantis last year as a replacement for Israel, called the photos a private matter being raised in the heat of a political campaign.
Tony and Israel are the leading contenders for the Democratic primary for sheriff in August — the winner is all but certain to be elected in November.
“No laws were broken,” Pollack said. “These are consenting adults having a good time at a party. What’s the big deal? This is shady politics. This is no different than a lot of Halloween parties.”
Tony also has been feuding with the police unions ever since he suspended one union’s president, Jeff Bell, last month. The deputies’ union took a no-confidence vote and Bell sued to get his job back. Bell declined to comment Monday because of the ongoing suspension and litigation.